| Traveller's Corner/Tips for Travellers |
| |
| Subsections listed in the tables are to be linked to the
related details given below
|
| |
| Clothing |
Social Interaction |
Toilets |
Beggars |
| Food & Drink |
Shopping |
Tipping |
Sightseeing |
| Health Precautions |
Time
|
Miscellaneous |
|
|
| |
|
| Clothing |
Travel as light as possible. Clothing and laundry are both quite inexpensive.
It is better for women to avoid tank tops or short skirts / shorts. The best
outfit, especially during the hot summers, is a T-shirt worn with loose cotton
trousers. You can purchase them anywhere in India, at very reasonable rates, at
any of the shops. Adventurous ladies can try wearing the Indian
'salwar-kameez'. It is comfortable and free sized.
|
| |
| Social Interaction
|
|
If you give the impression of being from a different country, chances are that
you might be stared at, especially in the smaller towns. Don't be offended -
they mean no harm, it is just curiosity.
|
| |
| Toilets |
|
In India, public toilet facilities are few and far between. Take every
opportunity you can to use a clean toilet in places such as hotels and
restaurants. Make this a habit wherever you go.
|
| |
| Beggars |
|
• Do not let them hassle you, and do not encourage them by giving them
money.
|
| |
| Food & Drink |
• Drink only bottled water. Many popular brands are available. In
restaurants insist that they bring a sealed bottle to
your table
• Beef is not served in many parts of India. Pork is also not easily
available.
• Eat non-vegetarian food only in good restaurants. The meat in cheaper
and smaller places can be of dubious quality.
• Good quality vegetarian food is easily available.
• Curd or yoghurt is served with most meals. It is a natural aid to
digestion and helps temper the spicy food.
|
| |
| Shopping |
• Try to shop only in government handicraft shops. There the prices are
fixed and the quality is certified. If that is not an
option, check the prices at a few shops before making a choice.
Bargaining is standard in most places and is enjoyed by
all.
• Get used to the fact that you will probably be charged more than the
locals. If possible, take a local along when you go
shopping.
|
| |
| Tipping |
• In hotels and restaurants, tips are not normally included in the bill.
Some hotels include service charges on their bills. In
such cases tipping is not necessary. The standard tip is 10%.
• In hotels, porters and room service attendants are normally tipped at
the end of the stay, though an early tip is likely to
get you better service.
• Tipping of taxi drivers is not customary.
|
| |
| Sightseeing |
• Dress codes for religious places can include covering your head, being
barefoot etc. Ask, so that you don't unwittingly give
offence.
• Some temples do not permit any leather articles at all on their
premises.
• Certain temples are not open to Non-Hindus. Please check with the local
tourist information office.
• Most museums in India are closed on Mondays and Site Museums, those
near archaeological monuments, on Fridays.
• The dry summer heat can drain you completely. Drink lots of water and
fluids.
• The sun is strong. Remember to use sunscreen on exposed parts of the
body. Wear sunglasses to screen out harmful rays.
• Photography is not always permissible, and at many places it is
permitted only at a fee. There is usually a higher fee
for using a video camera.
• Smoking is not allowed at public places. All properties of the Indian
Railways including trains and railway stations are
strictly non smoking zones with stiff penalties for violations.
• English is spoken at almost all tourist centers, but you can also
request Government-trained and approved guides who also
speak Russian, German, French, Spanish, Japanese or Italian.
|
| |
| Health Precautions |
• Always drink bottled water.
• For the first few days it might be advisable to clean your teeth in
bottled water.
• Eat fruit you can peel.
• Always wash fruit well before eating it.
• Wash your hands before and after eating.
• Always keep a tube of mosquito repellent with you.
• Always carry a kit of the basic emergency medicines you might need for
diarrhea, fever, etc. Also, band aids and an antiseptic
ointment. If you do catch a bug, do not panic. It will go
away in a few days - but try the
following tips to keep it down:
• Drink lassi - a yoghurt drink. It will help tone down the bacteria.
• Eat plain rice, or try a simple khichdi - an easily digestible mixture
of rice and lentils.
• Drink plenty of coconut water. It's cooling, and naturally sterilized!
• Drink plenty of fluids and take some electrolyte salts if the bug
persists
|
| |
| Time |
• Everything in India takes time - longer than in most places. So always
give yourself extra time for whatever you may have to
do - even it is just a visit to the Post Office or changing
money.
• Indians joke about the concept of "Indian Stretchable Time" (IST).
Certainly, if you're a super-punctual sort, India can
be frustrating. Make allowances for this.
|
| |
| Miscellaneous |
• Keep extra photocopies of the relevant pages of your passport. This
will be required for Indian permits. Also, keep extra
photographs of yourselves. These will be required for
permits, filling out forms, etc.
• Taxi and auto-rickshaw fares keep changing, and therefore do not always
conform to readings on meters. Insist on seeing the
latest rate card (available with the driver) and pay
accordingly.
• Insist on the taxi/auto meter being flagged down in your presence. As
much as possible, especially from the airport or
railroad station insist on using the pre paid services which are
available at most important places.
• In cities you can change most major foreign currencies and brands of
traveller cheques - but you'll widen your options and
save yourself hassles if you stick to US dollars or pounds
sterling, and either Thomas Cook or American Express
traveller cheques.
• Most big cities have ATMs which accept Visa and MasterCard as well as
American Express. The ATM network is ever expanding and
in some states, you can find them even in some smaller
towns.
|